The highly structured nature of formal schooling could inhibit creative thinking through the use of uniform curriculum, teaching to standardized tests, and policies that discipline even minor forms of disobedience.

Let’s give families a real opportunity to make decisions — allowing them to take their children’s education dollars to wherever they think they can get the best education and environment, whether that’s a public school, a private school or through homeschooling.

There are many possible reasons for this, but one that stands out is that unlike public schools, to which people are assigned by their home address, private schools are chosen, typically by people who share, or at least voluntarily accept, a school’s values.

Closing brick‐​and‐​mortar schools was a smart decision to flatten the curve in Pennsylvania. However, the state government has made decisions since then that will discourage continuity of education during the current crisis.